Whats up with this spoon?

ManBearPig · Jul 5, 2010

What's up with this spoon?

Found this spoon stamped BRAZIL SILVER. From what I read it isn't really silver, more likely nickel. After I cleaned it abit I found something on it. What is it?

Thanks in advance!

Mackaydon · Jul 5, 2010

Re: What's up with this spoon?

One onliner wrote:
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, nickel silver wares were sold under a variety of euphemisms, including Brazil(ian) Silver, Alaska Silver, Nevada Silver, and Solid Silver. These all tend to be silvery-looking alloys, as opposed to the yellow alloys normally used as a base for plating. They were pitched as a superior alternative to plated wares, because they never "wore through". Old Sears catalogs display a nice variety of these items. Basically they are the same as silverplate, prior to plating!

DigginThePast · Jul 5, 2010

Re: What's up with this spoon?

Yup, just a name applied to a "silvery" looking metal so that buyers may think that it is made with silver. Your spoon has someone's monogram on it. Neat find. :icon_thumright:

PChammer · Jul 5, 2010

Re: What's up with this spoon?

Maybe these will help with some info. :dontknow:

HERE

AND

HERE

dwebb210 · Jul 5, 2010

Re: What's up with this spoon?

When I worked at a metallurgical laboratory, we had a customer send us some "mexican pewter".

It was going to be for sale in California, and was intended for contact with food.
CA law says pewter items in designed for use with food have to be tested for lead.

I did the analysis, and found trace amounts of lead.

But I also found the item was mostly aluminum. (pop can alloy)

When I quizzed her about it, she said "well, that is what we call aluminum".

Had she been honest, she could have sold it as aluminum without any problems.

But the analytical report indicated that her "pewter" contained more than the allowable amount of lead,
and she therefore could not sell it.